In international arbitration, arbitrators enjoy a wide margin of discretion when assessing both damages and the awarding of interest. There is no uniform approach to determining the rate of interest that is awarded in arbitral awards. Often, arbitral tribunals award interest that reflects the position that a claimant would have been in, had respondent’s act […]
Lost Profits in Investment Arbitration
It is common in investment arbitration that investors seek to recover the profits they claim to have lost as a consequence of one or more internationally wrongful acts perpetrated by a host State of foreign investment. Historically, in assessing damages there has been a distinction between damnum emergens (actual losses) and lucrum cessans (loss of […]
Prolongation Claims in Construction Arbitration: Heads of Costs That May Be Claimed
“Prolongation claims”, sometimes known as “delay claims”, are a common feature of construction disputes. The expression “prolongation claim” or “delay claim” is generally used to describe a monetary claim which follows from a delay to project completion. These claims should be distinguished from a “disruption claim”, which is generally used to describe a monetary claim […]
Construction Arbitration Claim Strategy: When to Bring a Construction Claim in Arbitration and the Issues to Be Considered
Whether to bring a construction claim in arbitration depends on a number of factors that should be considered. If these issues are honestly considered at the outset of a construction dispute that is to be resolved by arbitration, they should lead to a sound conclusion as to the whether the construction claims should indeed be […]
Duty to Mitigate Damages in Investment Arbitration
Notion of the Duty to Mitigate Damages Along with contributory negligence, a duty to mitigate damages is considered as a “compensation-reducing”[1] factor. However, contrary to contributory negligence, the duty to mitigate damages arises only after the breach of an international obligation. It implies an obligation for an aggrieved party to “take steps to minimize his loss, on […]